Over-the-Year Change in Unemployment Rates for Large Metropolitan Areas, Annual Averages
[with a 2010 Census population of 1 million or more]
Metropolitan area 2016
rate		 2017
rate		 Over-the-year
Change Rank

Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.5 4.0 -1.5 1

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.8 4.9 -0.9 2

Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.3 4.4 -0.9 2

Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.2 4.3 -0.9 2

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 6.0 5.1 -0.9 2

St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area(1)

 4.6 3.7 -0.9 2

Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.1 3.3 -0.8 7

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.3 3.5 -0.8 7

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.7 2.9 -0.8 7

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.3 4.5 -0.8 7

Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.6 3.9 -0.7 11

Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.9 5.2 -0.7 11

New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.5 4.8 -0.7 11

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.5 3.8 -0.7 11

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.6 3.9 -0.7 11

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.7 4.0 -0.7 11

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.6 3.9 -0.7 11

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.1 4.5 -0.6 18

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.0 4.4 -0.6 18

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.9 4.3 -0.6 18

Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.6 5.0 -0.6 18

Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan NECTA

 5.1 4.5 -0.6 18

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.9 3.3 -0.6 18

Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.8 4.3 -0.5 24

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metropolitan NECTA

 5.2 4.7 -0.5 24

Kansas City, MO-KS Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.3 3.8 -0.5 24

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.8 3.3 -0.5 24

Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.7 4.2 -0.5 24

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.1 2.7 -0.4 29

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.1 4.7 -0.4 29

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.6 4.2 -0.4 29

Raleigh, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.4 4.0 -0.4 29

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.6 4.3 -0.3 33

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.9 3.6 -0.3 33

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.3 5.0 -0.3 33

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.5 3.2 -0.3 33

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.8 4.5 -0.3 33

Oklahoma City, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.2 3.9 -0.3 33

Richmond, VA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.2 3.9 -0.3 33

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.8 3.5 -0.3 33

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.4 4.1 -0.3 33

Austin-Round Rock, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.3 3.1 -0.2 42

Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.3 4.1 -0.2 42

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.9 3.7 -0.2 42

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH Metropolitan NECTA

 3.5 3.4 -0.1 45

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.4 4.3 -0.1 45

Columbus, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.2 4.1 -0.1 45

Salt Lake City, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area

 3.2 3.1 -0.1 45

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.1 5.4 0.3 49

Cleveland-Elyria, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area

 5.4 5.7 0.3 49

Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area

 4.7 5.0 0.3 49

Footnotes
 (1) Area boundaries do not reflect official OMB definitions.

Note: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data refer to place of residence. Areas in the six New England states are Metropolitan New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs), while areas in other states are county-based.

 

Last Modified Date: April 20, 2018